Attempting financial independence in Ireland

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Monthly Archives: August 2016

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Time for an update. For one thing I’m going with Triple R instead of IrishSaver.

2016 so far has seen exorbitant levels of spending – I’ve attended 6 weddings so far with 2 to come and have re-decorated the house (inspired by my lovely girlfriend). The final spending number for this year will greatly exceed last year, but I have had increased income due to switching my mortgage, selling my car and I expect to receive a small inheritance later in the year. So be warned, the 2016 spending will be ugly. The goal of retiring by the end of the calendar year in which I am 40 looks to be slipping, if it ends up being past 45 I’ll consider I’ve failed – though I am putting the max into my pension so I’d retire at 50 at the absolute latest in any case.

The point of this article is what would I do to make the human population on the Earth sustainable. I have a game called ‘Fate of the World’ where you are the fictional CEO of a Global Environmental Organisation (GEO) with considerable powers. The goal is to keep global warming below 2.0 degrees Celsius and keep the Human Development Index of the world above 0.7 by 2100. I doubt very much the nations of the world will come together to do this, but if they did – here is the policies I would advocate if for some bizarre reason I was given the job (in no particular order).

Invest in 3rd World – Use Tobin Tax (and some other) proceeds to invest in poorer countries, particularly in Education.

Promote Vegetarian Food – I am not vegetarian myself, nor do I possess the willpower to become one but I do try to reduce my meat and fish consumption and the more people can reduce it the better for the environment – sometimes there aren’t any good vegetarian options available (or what is available doesn’t have much protein) and the easy option is meat.

Carbon Tax – Significantly increase Carbon Tax and use the proceeds to subsidise renewable energy and associated technologies – we know we have to get off fossil fuels so we might as well put them to good use while we’re still using them.

Land Value Tax – This would replace a significant amount of income taxes and reduce speculation in housing – promoting more efficient development.

Basic Income – This can be funded from other taxes and Sovereign Money Creation – more of a social than environmental issue but would reduce inequality and poverty.